10 to 1

Yes, that’s how time flies. It was last Wednesday when I was planning out my to-do list for the 10 days long vacation. But after the stressful week that was- it wasn’t much of a list- the only things I wanted to do were mainly these- meeting up with friends and family, eating & most importantly, getting a good sleep. I have accomplished the first two but the last one, aah, can never get enough of it!

But now, its my last day at home before I head back to college once again. Just another few hours in my warm n cozy bed. I seriously don’t wanna leave. But then who will handle the dust ghosts in my hostel room ?? I guess only I'll have to do that. Now since I am already a cleanliness freak and moreover, I enjoy doing that , so that shouldn’t be much of a problem once I get back. The obvious problem here is that my wonderful diwali break has ended [ I know, nothing lasts forever :P] and I am gonna have to get back to the same rigid routine once again. But nevertheless, so far it has been a wonderful week, Sam kept me a great company throughout my stay here, the only annoying part of my stay, however, has been the several dinners , one after the other – 4 days in a row.

If Shivang were to read this, he would have been like- “Annoying what? Dinner ?? She must be kidding!!” Well, I am not. I abhor this one thing so much – unwanted guests at home and then being invited for dinner at their places. You ask them the occasion, & the reply you get is – “Just a get together!” or stranger still –“ Happiness!”.

What?? Did you think my house is a popular vacation spot or something?

Guests at times can be such a nuisance, especially when they rush in with their 5 year olds along with them. The worse part is that you have to affect an artificial smile all the while! It is an imposition at best and at worse annoying! Sometimes its cool, especially when it’s one of your friends or someone in your family, and I wouldn’t mind if they were to drop in even at 12 in the night but other than that, it’s usually a pain in the backside!

It’s hard to keep your sanity intact at such times...

Anyways, it’s time for me to go do some packing and also catch up with Sam. All in all, it was a very relaxing and a laid-back holiday, just short of a much needed visit to D'Dun which as of now, is due for December :) Apart from the surprises that I'm expecting this week & unfortunately cannot avoid , there are also going to be some really intersting tasks which I & another friend of mine plan to accomplish as soon as possible & so, here I come... ;)

Nobel call for action

The image of the US is in the finest shape it's been in a very long time, and that's because the rest of the world believes in the kind of leadership President Obama is bringing to his task. But there’s been a lot of debate lately- whether Prez really deserves the Nobel Prize conferred upon him?

According to many, the problem with this recent reward is that it has been awarded at a time when Obama's presidency had not resulted in any concrete results so far. Moreover, as a matter of fact the nomination for the same had concluded when it wasn’t even one month after his inauguration.

Many politicians and scholars have contested that the prestigious prize should not be awarded for simply creating hope for a better future but for the goals that have been achieved and a difference made for the better. But isn’t hope the blueprint for change?? Some even said that Obama won because he was the first black US president. But don’t you think that’s enough of race-card playing here, it’s getting boring!

Obama has given hope not only to the USA but to many in the world. He did not apply or ask for the Nobel Peace prize, he was awarded it for his efforts and aspirations. He has already begun to advance peace, dialogue & inclusiveness of other cultures and these are the sorts of things the world wants to see him moving towards.

The Bush’s loyalists are probably hypocritical for sneering — with absolutely no recognition of their own culpability — that Mr. Obama has not yet ended the wars in Afghanistan and in Iraq. But for God’s sake, eight years of equivocal games and strategy errors don’t just end in nine months!! What more do you expect a Prez to do in a time span that short?

Yes, it’s easy to poke fun, but Obama is a huge figure in world politics & I think he deserved it for what he has accomplished already.

The pundits are wrong when they say that speeches do not matter. On the contrary, words by definition are the clearest expression of one's intentions, of one's hopes. Like Elie Wiesel, once said- "Words can sometimes, in moments of grace, attain the quality of deeds."

The words Obama has spoken across the globe since his inauguration are evidence of what the Norwegian Nobel Committee called his "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples." So those of you who believe that an industrial-scale output of ozone-destroying vaporous liberal rhetoric now makes him a Nobel Laureate, then yeah, you got it right!! It does. But that is not all!

It has been his humane, honest and sincere approach to the world issues including peace, right from the start of his social and political deliberations, before and after becoming President of the USA, that has won him national and now international accolade. His life so far has been one achievement after another. And I for one, certainly appreciate the fact that this man has carried his values with him all the way to the White House and that’s the reason he’s reached where he is today.

By awarding Obama the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize, the Committee probably recognized the fact that the beginning of any comprehensive effort to repair and heal our troubled world is as important, and requires as much vision and moral leadership, and can be as dauntingly complex as its eventual realization.

And in Barack Obama’s own words- this Peace Prize is yet another "call for action”. Indeed!!

Down in the mouth

Today is one of those days which is sucking all vitality and energy out of me. It is rough . It is depressing. Something just doesn’t feel right. And what’s worse- I am still not able to figure out what exactly is it that has got me into this sullen disposition all of a sudden. I’m in this slump right now, getting out of which somehow seems difficult. I know it's a temporary phase, and I'll be done with it soon, but at this very moment I’ve so many thoughts at the back of my mind- some distressing, some baffling , and yet others which are way too intricate for me to arrive at any conclusion atleast at this moment in time. But who knows when you're asked to act upon your pick ??

Choice is Power and Choice is at the heart of life & yet, it's so perplexing sometimes, because you can't see further than a choice you don't yet understand. Guess, as of now, I just need to give it some time to let the answers float in. And that understanding will still take a lot of thought, a lot of introspection, and so perhaps, a lot of time too. Life’s weird and confusing sometimes. I think it’s just another extended phase of mixed results. Who knows? Am I even making any sense? I dont know and at the moment, I don’t even care.

As of now, all I know is that I’m having this big roller coaster ride of all those thoughts and feelings which don’t seem to leave me at all, not even for a moment. Such bad timing, I tell you!! Sometimes it’s relatively easy to ride through the storm, other times you just feel like your head will explode. Even when you have this urge to explain it to someone- you can’t and you refrain from doing it, because you know that you just have yourself to try and find the truth on your own path, in your own way.

Anyways, I am just waiting for this Thursday [badly, madly & sadly] so that I can finally go back to my hometown and spend some quality time with my family. It's really been a long time...Missing home so very much for the first time in my three months' stay here:(

Birthday Candy :)

This is a blog post to express my heartfelt gratitude to all these wonderful people who made my birthday today so very special - especially Rohit, Abhi n Apoorv for such splendid arrangements! Right from the conf. call at 12 in the night to the birthday party @ Shipra , from the lovely birthday presents to your thoughtful birthday wishes- Thank you guys for all your efforts & how can I forget the cake!! :P
I have to admit this - it was the BEST chocolate cake I’ve had in a really long time :)

My day today started off quite well with a call from parents wishing me happy birthday! The first call was actually at 5 in the morning which actually went unattended since I retired to bed quite late last night, around 3 I guess. [All thanks to my amazing friends in the hostel]. And obviously when three alarms at a time can’t push me off the bed, how then could a call do so ? But to my Dad’s surprise I eventually picked up the phone when he called the second time.

This was followed by other calls from some close friends , a bath , a hot coffee which I shared with Sharni (Yes, I needed it badly to keep my eyes wide open) and then eventually heading off for the P&C class (all in the course of some 40 minutes) only to be given a lecture on how important it is to have good listening skills in order to maintain a great over view of your status or standing. Nevertheless, it was better than having an EC lecture right in the morning! After the next class we headed off to Shipra- a much needed outing after the stressful T1’s and needless to say, the afternoon was absolute fun . Giving Annapurna a break, all of us went to Papa John’s where to my surprise, some pleasant arrangements had been done already. And Vaidik that reminds me- the next time any one of us needs the ID-Cards arranged, I’m gonna recommend you right away:P

Many a newspaper stories from days gone by were concluded with the words, “and a good time was had by all”. I certainly think this sentiment applies to the fantastic birthday that I had today & my special day was made all the more wonderful- thanks to the slew of lovely birthday wishes that came from my batchmates! Utsav wanted me to say something about each one of us present there but I didn’t since 1)- We did something similar on our previous outing & 2)- I probably don’t know everyone so well as the rest, but there’s this one thing I know for sure that it was one of my best birthdays & I truly appreciate the efforts made by all of you!

So thank you so much guys ( Rohit, Apoorv, Abhi, Pearl, Yasheeka, Utsav, Vaidik, Tushar[treat due], Akshita, Kanika, Sharni & Mayank ) for such a fantastic time I had with you all!!

The best part of my day was yet to come- everyone I’m sure overheard our favourite & one and only- Mrs. Papia Chaudhary in the lab this evening :D She just made my day!!! :( Alright! Those of you who were present in the lab and are reading this at the moment, can please stop grinning now! It’s ok to get a scolding once in a while [ that was after a long while actually] . Ain’t it??

My outing with the family actually more than made up for the amazing two hours I had in the lab! And then the gift from my bro later that evening was something I’d been looking for since long and once I discovered what it was- I was simply beatific! Instant Smile :) He gave me this beautiful Idol of Ganpati- two days before the Ganesh Mahotsav ends! Don’t know when would it actually be possible but I truly hope that someday I can get to witness this event for myself!

Anyways, with that I spent some quiet time last evening reflecting on my recent past where each moment was filled with so many lessons that I needed to learn in order to grow as an individual. The deep truths can be taken away from any hour provided we wish to. Here are a few things that the last one year has taught me...

First, no matter how it turns out, it always ends up just the way it should be. Either you succeed or you learn something. Win-Win!
Second, in life it’s not about getting a chance, it’s about taking a chance. You’ll rarely be 100% sure something will work. But you can always be 100% sure that doing nothing won’t work. Sometimes you just have to go for it. And even though you think you can’t you can always press forward. It’s just a matter of wanting it bad enough.

Third, having a thousand credentials on the wall will not make you a decent human being. But amongst other things, genuinely helping even a single person whenever possible will! For even when you feel like you have nothing, someone else likely has far less. Just find them and help them n you’ll see why.
And last but not the least, happiness is a choice [sometimes amongst the hardest in life] that we must all try to make each moment in life, because life is highly unpredictable & we need to make the most outta it. At times, its hard- extremely hard, seems like its almost impossible, but if you chase it, you’ll eventually get it. I did!

I think I've had a pretty good run so far and have had the opportunity to experience some great things and meet some amazing people in life, but I believe that my best years are ahead of me and life has so much to offer and I have so much more to learn from it. It's important to believe in bigger things for ourselves. Whether you're a 6 year old child or an adult, it's important to continue thinking about your possibilities on a regular basis.

Ok-Ok! I know it’s getting boring and I’m already too sleepy [sleep deprived for the past 2 weeks] so I’ll just leave you with this one question-
“How Old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are??”

Answers anyone? :)

Travesty of National Spirit

The truth is out. The beans are spilt by the dissidents.

While time owes it to the nation to set records straight, I wish it were done in a more honourable and statesmanlike manner.

Last week, expulsion of Jaswant Singh from Bhartiya Janta Party had hit the headlines. According to the party members, he has been sacked because of his deviation from party ideologies.

Jaswant Singh has always been known for his moderate political opinions and liberal thoughts. He had been associated with the party for more than 30 years through its thick and thin, through its various forays, downfall and even resurrection to power when he had served the country as its Finance Minister. His new book "Jinnah: India-Partition-Independence" could not go down too well with the rest of the party members as he tried to put forward an opinion which is a lot different from their perception of the history of Indian Independence. A mere criticism of what happened then and what led to the partition of India turned into an acerbic debate and mud slinging and the writings of the man who tried to show them another side of the same story became a sacrilege leading to his expulsion!!

Both the countries have still not been able to come to make peace with the reality, past and therefore they still keep blaming each other. But is it justified to let your beliefs and loyalty to party ideologies take a toll on your freedom of expression or is it even justified to just overlook what he has done for the party in the last 30 years on whimsical grounds of labeling him as less national or less responsible to the nation??

In my opinion the whole drama is indeed shameful!

Jaswant Singh was one of the main pillars of BJP. Even in the tough time he was standing tall supporting the Party. But somewhere in my mind I strongly feel that the court marshal done was all an impulsive decision and they will regret this soon. Wonder if BJP is all set to become history?

In our country politicians are in continuous search for any loophole left by the ruling party so that they can stand against them and in this letting down each other, the betterment of country seems lost somewhere.

Shouldn’t the loyalty of elected representatives of the people be towards the country first, and only then towards their party??

I guess, we have become a cynical nation which no longer expects from our leaders statesmanship, honesty and dedication to the nation…

Special times...

I’m totally overwhelmed and elated at this point in time…Whyy?? Well, one major reason is obviously the fact that I am back home & relieved of the stress after giving those awful tests- especially the one for which I appeared today, and “awful” because the night before the exam when every one else had literally locked themselves in their respective rooms and were engrossed in their books, I was the one chatting with my friends and laughing like a maniac [Other than this instance, I don’t remember having done that in a really long while now] at about 3 in the morning.

Actually, Sharni cracked a hilarious joke and all of us burst into a fit of laughter that lasted for half an hour straight! It was so comical and freaky that even this morning when the examiner handed over the question paper, we started giggling again at the sight of it! Left the examination hall 10 minutes early and once again- laughing !! I remember the look on the face of this other guy from my batch who I guess was trying to figure out the cause of this idiosyncratic behaviour.

The exam obviously didn’t go as I’d expected but nonetheless, last night was the best I’ve had in H1 [ without any H1N1 scare either :D ] so far and certainly the one that I can never ever forget in times to come. Seriously, it was sooo much fun & even though I’m back home, I missing you guys a lot and missing the cafeteria all the more :P There are many well-loved folks out here whose mere sight is something I cannot stand , it’s like there’s some sort of energy that repels me immediately and even though it’s hard to spot nice people in general, after four good weeks of probe and some disappointment ;) I’ve been lucky enough to figure out these select few in my college [my batch actually] whose personal tastes and preferences fortunately don’t reflect the lifestyle of a typical coddled, self-indulgent Delhite and I believe that these guys [Sharni, Mayank, Rohit , Abhi n Pearl] are distinct atleast in the sense that they are true to their selves- no pretense- no façade, just being what they truly are! It’s one thing to say that we are all unique, but actually being distinct is farther than that.

Anyways, that reminds me of this beautiful composition by Celine Dion-

“In these moments, moments of our lives
All the world is ours
And this world is so right
You and I sharing this time together
Sharing the same dream
As the time goes by we will find

These are the special times
Times we'll remember
These are the precious times
The tender times we'll hold in our hearts forever

These are the sweetest times
These times together
And through it all, one thing will always be true
The special times are the times I share with you

With each moment, moment passing by
We'll make memories that will last all our lives
As you and I travel through time together
Living this sweet dream
And every day we can say

These are the special times
Times we'll remember
These are the precious times
The tender times we'll hold in our hearts forever

These are the sweetest times
These times together
And through it all, one thing will always be true
The special times are the times I share with you….”

I’m just hoping that this new found happiness lasts a long way...

Idea of being human

Finally!! This weekend allows me some time to get back to my blog- something I’d long been waiting to do. With my current routine which I believe is only gonna persist and gonna become more rigid with time, my posts here or elsewhere are gonna be contemptibly limited. In the past one week alone, there have been several occasions when I had this spur to write about things that I felt are relevant ruminating upon and more so, the things which were relatively trivial but now that I’ve more consequential stuff keeping me busy, this whole blogging business is gonna take a backseat.

Anyways, this post is in response to SUNDAY SCRIBBLINGS #170 and is something that has always been at the back of my mind.


What does it mean to be human??

At the change of millennia, our specifically human ability to ask this question has kept me wondering for a long time. But now I somewhat have the clue to one of the most essential questions facing each one of us born on this planet.

When I think about what it means to be human many images come into view. One image that makes me really aware is what happens when a rock or pebble is thrown into the water, creating ripples that go on and on. What it means to be human is to be impacted by the ripples that are coming from people elsewhere. Being human means knowing that we are both at the center and on the edge of those ripples, that have the capacity to impact and be impacted by others in many ways.

It is seeing yourself in others. It is understanding the art of me, the art of we. It is being able to smile, to sing, to feel, to bring out the gifts of creation, to think out loud, to be in love and know that we can be loving. It is to appreciate every drop of water. It is to feel the warmth of the sun and to marvel at the beauty and the expanse of the night sky. It is to stand in awe of who we are and where we live. It is to see the earth with the eyes of an astronaut. To be human is to be aware of our dependence upon the whole of the universe and of the miracle that we are. In other words, being able to understand our own insignificance in the totality of things. It is to recognize those cultural perspectives that bind us to tribe, sect, religion or nation and to rise above them- to feel the pain of the dispossessed & the downtrodden.

It is to recognize good and evil and choose good. It is to consider with the heart and to act with conscience.It is to choose the path of compassion, rather than the path of complacency. It is to find ourselves behind our names- to explore the depths and boundaries of our existence; to learn from those who have preceded us and to act with due concern for those who will follow us.

We are all born with the potential to become human. How we choose to live will be the measure of our humanness. Civilization does not assure civility. Nor does being born into the human species. We must each tread our own path in order to find the answer to this central question which concerns and affects each and every one of us.

Drenched in thy beauty

Today, 7th July is a full moon night and it’s up there right now lighting up the landscape like a spotlight. The night sky is so captivating that I couldn't move downstairs without soaking up some of that moonlight :) I love sitting out and watching the skies - and a full moon that close is certainly a treat! Now this moon that pulls the tides, and the moon that touches the lunatics also has many ways to inspire us. It sure inspires me and as always, I’m taken aback by its beauty.

To some people it’s just a breathtaking celestial body up there in the sky. But to me, it’s much more than that. To me, it represents our dreams, our aspirations, and most importantly, it represents our endless human potential. Only once in a month does it reach it’s full potential and thoroughly lights up the sky, but when it does, the world truly glows! Just the same way, we can also consciously choose to let the full moon that lays dormant inside us, shine and light up the world just as the moon in the sky does.

I am always attracted to the moon because whenever I look at it, I know [even if it’s just for an instant] that anything is possible. No matter how blue I may be but for a moment I have hope. It’s very easy to get caught up in all the things that are wrong with this world and it’s people, yet it is our responsibility to represent hope. And the only way we can truly represent hope is by living to our fullest potential. Is this easy?

Of course not! But since the pursuit of happiness is what we are aiming for, we must live to our fullest potential. We must give. We must love. We must learn. We must glow. That is our true calling. Yes I will make mistakes. Yes there will be some bumps in my path to happiness. Yes there will be times in which I may feel like giving up. But I have a relentless desire to live to the best that I am capable of. That relentlessness enables me to move closer to my goal of living a truly conscious life each and everyday. And this full moon which simultaneously uncovers our fears, also reflects the solution to our qualms and bugbears at the same time. It always reminds me that I must persevere because no phase is permanent- there is always a full moon night after every no moon night!

Remember that our purpose in living is larger than ourselves. Our purpose in living is to shine and to grow, to unleash our full moon potential and to light up this world with our love and kindness. Moon is the beauty of the sky and this is the night to look within, connect with one’s own sense of proper timing and trust the wisdom that arises from this kind of inquiry. We can neither have too many full moons nor do we have to live each day showing only a glimpse of our true potential. So lift up your gaze, live and glow today!

Will Sibal's crusades work?

The Congress came to power with big promises this year (like all governments post all elections), and much to the credit of the academic party that it is, I am atleast hopeful for India, believing, rather optimistically, that Kapil Sibal’s proposed education reforms will be implemented sometime soon. With a debate raging in Maharashtra on the 90-10 quota for admission to junior colleges, not long ago, the Union HRD Minister Kapil Sibal also came out with a series of proposals, to reform the aging education system in the country. The man who led India’s first expedition to the Arctic and represented the country at the Davos economic forum, now seems to be the harbinger of relief to many Indian students. I was following his interview with Barkha Dutt the other day where he proposed the following:

1. Scrap the compulsory class 10 board exam, for it is merely a source of unneeded pressure for both students and parents.
2. Invite FDI in the education sector as India becomes an attractive economy. However, even big names like Harvard and Wharton must adhere to Indian norms, both in terms of fee, and reservations which was strategically termed “affirmative” action by Mr Sibal.
3. Improve the quality and standard of primary education in government schools, which by the Right to Education bill is meant to be free for all.
4. All education must be under one Higher education authority which is unconnected with any ministry and is an autonomous constitutional body [like the EC, or SEBI] to control the policy frameworks.
5. Legislation to prevent and prohibit existing educational malpractices- capitation fees being one amongst the several.

Now that it has started a debate, so it sure has a lot of merit to it, but whose merit is it anyways? Watch out! A great Congress "tamasha" might be on the anvil. The ruling party's recent pronouncements to legislate on matters of national importance that affect the future of young India — a big-bang revamp of the education system — show one thing for sure that the party is in a hurry to make its first 100 days in office a mega-event. Kapil Sibal in his new avatar as HRD minister aims at seizing the opportunity to tomtom that the Congress is the party that believes in delivering rather than dithering. Well, lets see how much of it is actually implemented in this current term but until then, their proporsal has certainly earned the party huge brownie points. Now here’s my take on what I feel regarding the various promised proposals.

HRD Minister Kapil Sibal's idea of doing away with the Class X Board exams is a sweet nothing. It's music to the ears but unfortunately it doesn't amount to much. Had he asked the students, the parents and the teachers, and not just the experts and the committees, he'd know that it's not so much the exams kids hate. In fact, it's not the exams at all. It's the sheer paucity of opportunities thereafter. Our minister says, "The Indian education system is a source of trauma for both parents and children". No, sir! The education system is not the source of trauma. It's gaining access to the system at the nursery and college levels that's traumatic. It's coping with the dearth of options within the system that's traumatic. If his decision is based on the tragic instances of children committing suicide post poor results, it's not the education system, Mr Sibal. It's because their options close after that. Doors close. A child who is pushed to kill herself over low marks will blame herself even for a low percentile as well.

It's the fear of the 'life after' if you don't score well that's traumatic. The minister bangs on when he says "student's aptitude should decide whether he or she wants to study arts or science". True, but how will replacing percentages with percentiles help in securing a child his seat in the science stream? The reason schools fail to listen to students' pleas of interest, and use marks as a qualifier for various streams is because there aren't enough seats to go around- private and government. Marks are only the excuse.

The problems our students, parents and teachers face today are not a fallout of the tough standards of the Class X or Class XII boards, but of our abominable and shameful failure in not being able to give them what they want despite their achievements. We don't need percentiles as critically as we need more seats.
US president Barrack Obama recently exhorted American students to fall in line with Indian and Chinese counterparts who, he said, were more knowledgeable and better equipped at the international schooling level.

The move to do away with Class X boards may seem to be a welcome step but it leaves a vacuum hard to be filled in an age of global competition. It would rather make sense if the governement propses an all-India common entrance test for admission to professional colleges and central universities on the pattern of Indian Civil Services' examination, after the class XII boards.

Some one even argued that what really is it that we are measuring through all these exams? Is it the IQ or also the EQ? Well, my first question to them is are they exclusive from each other & should they be really exclusive? EQ has got to be coming up all the way from grade one. If that’s missing, how are your going be able to bring it out in the last one year?

More seats, job-oriented vocational studies after Class X, more teachers, more of every damn educational resource is what we need.

Coming to private players in education- to me it seems to be a deeply contentious subject in our present government. What we need in this country is an independent institutional mechanism of academic experts who accredate institutions . Private players need to be regulated through a system that harmonizes but at the same time, does not create two-tiers in schooling. If I want to set up a university, I should not be barred as long as I pass certain very strict entry barriers- financial conditions, experience in education and all that.

Why should there be a concept of a deemed- to-be university controlled by the UGC or any other government body? And as long as the money remains within the education sector, private players should be allowed because I don’t think they are interested in the field of education actually to make profits to set up businesses. So private investment, including from abroad, in education does not mean you have fly by night operators. India has the potential to become a global provider of quality graduates and I guess some sort of a bill that can regulate the entry, operation and maintenance of foreign education providers and at the same time also protect students from receiving sub-standard education offered by institutions that view it as a lucrative business, would indeed be a commendable step.

It would be worthwhile to look at some of those ideas. Moreover the issue of equity is not going to be solved through 'vouchers'; Rushing to 'vouchers' is inviting trouble as the need of the hour is to strengthen government system and supply and unless you expand quality, things again may not work as these people promise they will.

The object is to improve choice because education is something that is consumed in order to make you into a better human being and so I feel that the consumer must have a better choice. In Mr. Sibal’s own words- “Expansion , Inclusion and Excellence” is what we really need. Expansion means access to education to all; inclusion translates into equity for the Scheduled Castes, girl child & the Muslims. And excellence ofcourse means quality. We should have enough people at the level of higher education to take India forward because education is a socio-economic activity and I don’t feel it should have impediments in the form of bureaucratic red tape.

I can only say that it will be nice if we don’t dilute the stake in the potential bluechip on which rests the future of India. And how many more rabbits will the Congress pull out of it's hat to mark its 100 days in power and how accurate can this whole system be is something that we will only have to wait and watch! As of now, I am tempted to forget all the empty assurances ever given to us by our various governments, and watch in pride as our country steers upon this new path of progress.

What's next for this megalomaniac??

In Uttar Pradesh, the world is configured a little differently from the rest of India. Big B does not mean Amitabh Bachchan, here it means Behenji. Problems like food, drinking water, education or housing are minor. The major problem plaguing this poor state is an abject lack of great statues.

And so, we have our CM- our Chief Matriarch, Mayawati to the rescue, who to the amazement or horror of the people of UP [ depending on which side of Behenji’s favour they lie] has spent Rs.1000 crores of public money on statues. I was just going through the newspaper in the morning when I read that alongside other Dalit leaders like BR Ambedkar and Kashiram, she has commissioned the erection of her own grand statues & reports suggest that a 16-feet-tall statue is proposed in the neighbourhood of BSP’s inspiration home where Mayawati had got her first statue installed, inside an imposing stone structure shaped like a Buddhist Stupa. I dread to think what Lord Buddha must be undergoing, witnessing her antics.

But in a way, it is an achievement, a rare feat: I mean who has, before this, installed statues of himself or herself at such a massive scale? And, I don't think any politician in India has ever had a statue installed whilst they were still alive- weren’t they supposed to be for the dead? Well, Madam knows best! I am at a loss to decipher the mentality that goes behind this crass display of absolute power since in her case minimum sense seems to noticeably absent.

I am sure, Dr. Ambedkar, a man known for his humility, who has been forced to stand alongside Mayawati in this statue-making spree[the so-called leader of the Dalits] and bear the brunt of media-glare, must be cursing his fate & Mahatama Gandhi must be thinking that he did so much for the country and still could not manage so many installations.

The report in the daily newspaper even suggested that an identical statue is planned for Kashi Ram Memorial that's coming up on a sprawling 32-acre plot of land taken from the Lucknow district jail and is slated to cost the state exchequer about Rs.3.5 billion. But what is a billion here or there when it is Behenji's prestige that is at stake?

However sculptor Ram Sutar, who has been assigned to create these statues in bronze ( I am surprised she has not already asked for silver and gold ones) admitted that he was on the job and had been asked to accomplish the task at speed. Of course, they will simply halt all the state government projects and work and you will have it in a jiffy.

It is also said that each will weigh between 20 and 25 tonnes. Well, considering the weight of the original,this seems like a fair estimate of the statue's weight!
If you observe closely, you’ll notice that Mayawati’s stiffened posture resembles Britney Spears’ famous ‘Gimme More’ pose with one hand on an imaginary microphone and another on her pelvis. Though now I believe she’s opted this more nuanced and sophisticated Gabbar Singh pose from Sholay, as if asking ‘Kitne statue they?’

Mayawati’s megalomania is not something new. Diamond rings, bejeweled necklaces, grand birthday bashes and now statues. But one wonders where is this all headed and if Behenji actually is planning to beat some world record before 2012 and get her own pyramid commissioned before the next assembly elections in UP !!